A One-Shot Compilation That May or May not be Written Well
by Marinette's Lost Twin
Summary: Basically a series of hopefully canon-compliant one-shots for the sole purpose of helping us cope up with the official conclusion of the manga. Feel free to make requests. I'll do my best to grant 'em for you. Oh, and by the way, I don't own any of the characters because they're Sorachi-sensei's. I wish I did though.
1. Because He's Sick of the Rain

**Title**: Because He's Sick of the Rain

**Author**: me

**Characters**: Takasugi Shinsuke, Kijima Matako, Kawakami Bansai (indirect), Sakata Gintoki (mentioned), Katsura Kotarou (mentioned), Yoshida Shouyou/Utsuro (mentioned)

**Setting**: Post-Silver Soul Arc (Earth)

**Genre**: Angst/Romance

**Type**: One-shot

**Rating**: T

**Status**: Complete, unless implied otherwise

**Word Count**: 940

**Summary**: She was the most devastating storm in which he did not—and would never—mind getting caught up.

**(Warning: Implied character death, spoilers ahead, you've been warned)**

**_~x~_**

Once upon a time, he had found a fascination towards the way the raindrops hit his hand and cascaded down his forearm on the dark, stormy nights when the three of them—Gintoki, Zura, and him—would just sit down on the porch of their Sensei's dōjo instead of sparring.

As the years went on, however, the world hadn't been the nicest towards him and it just rained, and rained, and _rained_ mercilessly, until he was drenched from his head to his feet gasping, and gasping, and _gasping_—until he didn't even have it in him to feel sorry for himself anymore.

He just walked aimlessly in the sea of corpses he couldn't recognize without so much as a parasol nor even just a strawhat.

_Or a destination_, he reminded himself time to time again like a mantra but couldn't find it in him to care.

Was it the rain that soaked his clothes, or the blood of his comrades? He found that he didn't know the answer to that and still didn't care either.

It wasn't until he stumbled upon a fellow stray, another lost soul for the wrong cause, that he realized just how far he had diverged from his originally intended path, himself.

Clad in pink—_too bright for the weather_, he noted bitterly—the stray cat, no—_kitten_, he corrected himself—glared, and hissed, and bared its fangs and claws, preparing to pounce at anyone who dared so much as to show up with a blade.

She sought him out many years ago and asked him to tag her along on his conquest, probably heard from some nameless officer about a dark-haired man who wreaked havoc alongside the renowned white demon and its brethren. She seemed pretty convinced that he was the only shot she'd had at vengeance, but he knew better.

So the reason behind him having just founded Kiheitai by accident after getting imprisoned for her sake was a mystery to him (it wasn't exactly an accident, he had it all planned out already, but it was still untimely, to say the least, for he had not meant to recruit a certain green-headed musician who also happened to be a very skilled manslayer along the process).

It was stupid, he had scared her away to save her from hitting rock bottom—he did not want her to stoop even half as low as he already had. And yet...

There he stood, just a few meters away from her sobbing figure, shoulders slumped in defeat for she had lost again, and he couldn't do anything to save her.

Because he had lost, too, and wasn't able to save himself from falling into the pit either.

So he just watched as the tears streamed down her otherwise tantalizingly pink cheeks, and it was the most devastating storm he had ever been caught in. He was once again drenched in the rain, like all those years before, but at least by now, he had grown a bit used to the cold so he managed to stay drenched without shivering.

The thought of wiping said tears had actually crossed his mind, but he hesitated—still does—because he _knew_.

He knew he wasn't in the position to be comforting her, or anyone for that matter, when he wasn't doing so well himself. Besides, he brought this upon her, a girl who was once just any other patriot's innocent daughter.

Right, _innocent_. What was an innocent lass doing amidst a band of criminals who have no future anyway?

He had half the mind to blame it all on her, say it's all her fault, she was the one who had insisted to stay when he'd asked her to go away. _You might as well aim that gun to your head and pull the trigger_, he'd told her with a look on his face he realized he'd only ever reserved for her these past few years. _Because that's exactly what I'm doing—now, do you still think we share a common goal?_

But after the whole fiasco had ended and she had still stuck around, he didn't attempt to drive her away anymore. He wasn't surprised to see her again along with his crew, but that was not to say he totally agreed to her decision. He still considered it pretty suicidal and questioned whether she actually wanted to avenge her parents or not because how could you avenge anyone when you're already six feet underground?

But he let her stay, he didn't exactly welcome her with open arms but he did acknowledge her presence aboard the ship with a nod and she seemed pretty contented with that. _Let her_, he'd told himself then. _It's not like it's your problem, anyway._

But who was he kidding? He knew, heck, he most definitely _knew_ he'd only let her stay at an arm's length because, while it was also the _most dangerous _place for a girl like her to be, it was only by his side that she could be protected by _him_.

He just had no idea for how long he'd be able to manage to, though, and he wasn't one to push his luck.

So he'd leave eventually, that was something he had promised himself. When the dark clouds start to disappear and the rays of sunshine began to pierce through the gloomy sky, he would leave. But for now, just this once, he would allow himself this moment of vulnerability and let her rain drown him 'till he couldn't breathe.

He was sick of the rain, but he would rather drown than wither and die of thirst.


	2. Because He Will Return

**Title**: Because He _Will_ Return

**Author**: me

**Characters**: Tsukuyo, Sakata Gintoki (mentioned), Shimura Shinpachi (mentioned), Hinowa, Seita, Shimura Tae (mentioned), Kondou Isao (mentioned), Sarutobi Ayame, Hattori Zenzou (mentioned)

**Setting**: Post-Silver Soul Arc (Yoshiwara)

**Genre**: Angst/Romance

**Type**: One-shot

**Rating**: K

**Status**: Complete, unless implied otherwise

**Word Count**: 1605

**Summary**: Maybe if she somehow, by some miracle, managed to recite these words enough and commit them to memory, they might come true.

**_~x~_**

He _will_ return.

The first few times she'd told herself that, she had managed to ignore that excruciatingly painful twist in her gut. Back then, she had shed no tears. And most importantly, she had successfuly convinced herself to _believe_.

The next couple of times, however, she found that her faith had wavered slightly but still, she chose to keep believing. Because he _will_ return.

"He will," she told herself again and again as she had done so countless times that night. "He _has_ ta."

However, it took only one look at the window ledge and she had to immediately pull her hand back to her chest as if she'd been burned. The wooden ledge, now dented by her strong, desperate, grip for support, seemed to be taunting her with a challenge, a challenge she knew she wasn't strong enough to face just yet.

How long would these nights go on?

Some nights, especially on nights like this when she felt most vulnerable, she would curse his name and plot her revenge on him, because how dare he just disappear on her like that without a single word. As if she never mattered enough to at least be warned.

But wasn't that _exactly_ the problem, who was she to complain?

Technically, he did _not_ owe her any explanation. In fact, he didn't owe her _anything_ at all. To him, she wasn't _anyone_, just some nobody who happened to be on the long list of former clients of the Yorozuya—a list she very much doubted he could jot down from memory. But why, just _why_ did it hurt this much, knowing she never got at least a decent goodbye?

She would have even settled with a simple wave of a hand—_anything_. Anything would have been better than completely _nothing_. Couldn't he have at least showed up, even without saying a word, just give her one last chance to memorize all his features and burn them in the back of her mind so she could never forget?

Was that so _hard_?

From what she had heard, only Shinpachi had ultimately decided to stay in Kabuki District, and even he didn't get a decent closure. When asked, he wouldn't say much, just that they had finally come to terms with the fact that now, they had to go their separate paths. And that's it.

If even _Shinpachi_, with whom Gintoki spent most of his time in Odd Jobs, didn't get a proper closure, why should she?

She wasn't even sure what exactly she would have done had he dropped by one last time. Would she have bid him farewell with a smile on her face, knowing he would come back to her someday once all of this was over? Would she have tackled him into a hug he could never return and beg him to stay there in Yoshiwara with her?

_Pff_, who was she kidding?

She damn well knew _exactly_ what she would have done, and it was none of those.

"He knew, too," she heard Hinowa's soothing voice from somewhere behind her, but she didn't have the strength to face Hinowa just yet. Or _anyone_, for that matter. "That's probably why he didn't show up."

It took all her effort not to cry. Her lips were quivering already, eyes blurry with the unshed tears, so she didn't dare speak. She bit her lip to stifle a sob that they both knew would escape her lips eventually, but she still managed to keep it together, barely.

"You would have followed him anywhere, wouldn't you?" Hinowa asked her, but she still refused to reply. She wasn't even sure she could even _if_ she wanted to. "He wouldn't want that, it's safer here. But you don't care about that, do you?"

Still, she couldn't say anything, she couldn't even deny the truth of those words. Because as much as she hated herself for feeling the way she did, they were true.

"Oh, Tsukki, you poor child."

That moment, she finally let the tears fall down her cheeks quietly, balling her fists in frustration because she couldn't afford to be this vulnerable but then every time she got reminded of his permed locks—those _damned_ permed locks of his, she would almost always break down and cry.

He was _nowhere_ in sight, but at the same time, he was _everywhere_ she turned.

Be it Otose's Snack Bar, the old Shinsengumi compound, the pachinko parlor—there were traces of him everywhere. She could see Gintoki in the melancholy reflected by Otae's hazel orbs, she saw Gintoki whenever Kondou thought no one was looking and he let himself drown in forlorn, she could hear Gintoki whenever Shinpachi picked up an orphan from the street and spoke to inspire them to dream. He was everywhere and she had no idea which way to turn.

"I guess I could tell you you're not the only one who misses him but that would be a fool's consolation," Hinowa spoke again, snapping her out of her thoughts and reminding her once again that she was, in fact, not alone in that room. But perhaps not for long, as she heard careful footsteps along with the screeching of the wheels of Hinowa's chair, the footsteps were most likely Seita's who had been there the entire time but hadn't spoken a word either. "We'll leave you alone for now, but, please, talk to us, okay? Maybe not now, but someday, okay?"

She didn't get to answer as she was immediately met by silence after the door was slammed shut. She then let out a breath she hadn't realized she held the entire time. She hadn't smoked for quite some time now but while she would have urges every now and then and still manage to resist, this time, it had grown much too unbearable and she found herself gripping the ledge again.

It had to stop.

So she made a decision she knew she would regret later on. But before she could change her mind, she all but pounced already and landed on her feet atop some random building she didn't bother recognizing—which shouldn't have made sense, given that she lived in Yoshiwara almost her entire life. But before her brain even registered whose roof she was stepping on, she was already jumping away to another building's roof.

She would have kept running without a particular destination in mind, but that was until a _kunai_ flew towards where she would have stepped her right foot that she almost lost her balance but still somehow managed to stand straight. Even without turning, she knew exactly who threw that kunai. "Sarutobi," she acknowledged the kunoichi's presence. "Leave me alone."

"Hmm..." she heard the purple-head hum in consideration. "Nope."

"Please, I-"

"Miss him? Wanna _see_ him? Need to _find_ him?" Sarutobi supplied cooly. "All of those?"

She wanted to say no, but then she would be lying.

Sarutobi just fixed her with a serious, unrelenting gaze that she wondered if this was the same idiot who had kept on chasing down the love of her life on a daily basis a year ago. "How about the first few hundred times you did that, how did it turn out for you, huh?"

"Hey, I didn't look fer tha idjit tha much!" she rushed thoughtlessly to correct the statement but realized that she had just dug her own grave. "And who said I was gon' look fer him!"

With that, Sarutobi's face softened a little but it was still unmoved, unconvinced. "Tsukki," the once again mercenary assassin started. "I care about you a lot, and I know you're hurting, but this is not helping, okay?"

Still dumbfounded, she opted not to reply. She knew she wasn't gonna win an argument with this fiery woman, anyway.

"You're not the _only_ one who had been wordlessly abandoned, you know? I _know_ exactly how you must feel right now, but we have to be strong, okay?" This time, Sarutobi gave her a bittersweet smile that only broke her heart further.

At first, she thought this was about Gintoki, but now, as she looked at the one person she let into her life at such close proximity without realizing, it finally clicked.

It wasn't Gintoki's departure that broke her friend. "Hattori..."

At that, the purple-head only chuckled half-heartedly and looked away. "I tried, _countless_ times, you know. I looked _everywhere_, every hideout the Oniwaban had. For the past year, I had asked around the nearby villages, I even hired surveillance scout ninjas, but _still_, in the end, I..."

"...still couldn't find him?"

With another intersection to add on their Venn diagram, the two shared a hearty laughter they didn't know they both needed. With a knowing smile, Sarutobi sat down and patted the roof, an invitation for her to sit down as well, which she took willingly.

"M'sorry," she apologized after a minute of silence.

"Nah, I get that. But let's be strong okay? When they come back, let's beat them into a pulp, a'ight?"

_Oh, Sarutobi_, she thought fondly. _Always so optimistic, ain't ye?_

But as she stole a glance at her friend who was now looking up the starry night sky with the most hopeful eyes she had ever beheld her entire life, she found that perhaps, she actually envied the amount of faith the purple-head could unconditionally just give away.

"Yeah," she replied contentedly. "I'd love that."


	3. Because It Was For The Best

**Title**: Because It Was For The Best

**Author**: _me_

**Characters**: Kondō Isao, Shimura Tae

**Setting**: Post-Series (Tōkyō)

**Genre**: Romance/Angst

**Rating**: T

**Status**: Incomplete

**Word Count**: 1910

**Summary**: The worst—and, arguably, the best—part of having unrequited feelings is actually getting said feelings reciprocated.

**_~x~_**

The moment he opened his eyes to the sound of a voice that vaguely resembled that of the love of his life—whose name and appearance he currently could not remember for the life of him, he had been convinced he was still dreaming.

There, in front of him, stood a brunette woman, possibly in her early twenties, looking at him with concern and something else he didn't know and didn't care enough to recognize in those beautiful hazel orbs of hers, so beautiful he could have been lost in them if he hadn't been careful.

But he _was_, for as certain as he was that he had, in fact, met that woman before, he had not recognized her, either.

He didn't know her name, nor who she was supposed to be in his life, so like any sane person, he asked her exactly that. "Excuse me, but who _are_ you?"

He watched as her eyebrows knitted together in confusion and something that might have been hurt if his eyes were to be trusted, but she quickly composed herself to reply. "You're drunk, Kondō-san," she calmly told him. "We're closing now, you have to leave."

Almost as if he had not heard what she just said, he squinted at her, searching for any sort of clue in her undeniably jaw-dropping gorgeous face but not finding any. He tried blinking the grogginess away, but almost drifted to sleep once more had she not shaken him awake for possibly the hundredth time that night. He cleared his throat and looked away in shame. "I apologize, _lady_, I guess my presence here must be bad for business. Send my regards to whoever you work for," he told her though he wasn't exactly sure why he had felt especially guilty towards her.

He saw her eyes widen in surprise, but when she opened her mouth to speak, he was quick to interrupt her with a finger on her lips, close enough to catch her off guard but not quite touching, as even in his drunken state, he knew better than to disrespect her.

He attempted to stand, almost failed but somehow still managed. She made a move to assist him but he simply shook his head, missing the way disappointment crept into her lovely face. "I must go now," he declared, though he had no idea exactly where to.

He had half the mind to ask her, since she seemed to actually know him as an acquaintance and not just a customer, but he figured he had bothered her enough for the night. Maybe some other time, though he didn't know yet what kind of relationship they actually had.

He examined their surroundings and somehow immediately knew it was a host club. Frowning, he tried to recall the events of the past twenty-four hours but failed, _terribly_. With a sigh of defeat, he just looked for the nearest exit and started walking, only to freeze midway at the sound of her voice calling his name.

"Wait, Kondō-san!" She all but ran after him and reached out to tug at the sleeves of his uniform—something he had just realized he was wearing that moment but chose not to point out. Instead, he just watched her in amusement until she realized he was waiting for her to say something. The moment she did, the blush he'd seen on her face had been totally worth it. "The way you are... I-I, uh, I can't let you wander the streets at such an ungodly hour," she stuttered, and he noticed the way she had averted her eyes away from his as if he made her nervous.

Which she couldn't possibly be, obviously, could she?

"I mean! Of course, it's not like I care or anything! Hahaha," she exclaimed defensively, laughing in a way that was obviously forced, but he ultimately decided not to point that out, either. "With the kind of job that y-you have, I mean, uh, criminals might take a-ad-what's the word again?" She pressed her lips together in deep thought before her eyes lit up in such an adorable manner he might have fallen in love with her had he not been in love with someone else already.

Someone whom he could not remember, but still knew he felt so strongly for.

"Advantage! Yes! They will take advantage of you," she finished successfully, more confidently this time. "And we can't have that happening to frequent customers of my club, can we?"

He blinked, letting the information sink in. "You," he started, pointing a finger at her. "You own this establishment?"

She looked genuinely surprised, but quickly recovered with a chuckle. "Yes, Kondō-san, I do," she answered before walking past him, pulling him in the process. "Now let's get you out of this place so I can lock it."

As if on instinct, he recoiled and pulled his arm back, making her yelp in surprise, he wanted to somehow placate her but didn't know how. This time, there was no denying it, she really looked hurt.

"I'm sorry, I just," he apologized, his deep voice almost inaudible. He cursed at how he could barely remember anything as he frantically racked his brain for an explanation but found nothing except one word—or name: Otae. Whose name was that anyway?

He didn't know, but what he did know was that no other woman could ever have a hold on his heart like she did. He stole a glance at the woman in front of him who was looking at him with such pleading eyes that he almost pitied her, but that was not what she needed. Explanation, that's what she was asking for, not pity.

"Otae-san," he said simply, as if that was explanation enough.

He just watched as she observed him quietly. After a moment, she finally spoke, "do you remember now?"

He shook his head before answering, "not really. All I know is that I cannot betray her." He laughed bitterly, what was the point in being loyal to a woman whom he could not even remember?

The exact same question seemed to have crossed her mind as well, but she did not voice it out. Instead, she just nodded in silent understanding. "This isn't you betraying her, and even if it was, what makes you think she'd care?"

"No, I'm pretty sure she won't," he replied with utmost certainty that made her crease her forehead. "But still, I can't do that, not to her."

"Now, hold on a second!" She yelled at him all of a sudden, crossing her arms angrily and making him step back defensively. "Who do you think you are to decide for me how I'm supposed to feel?!"

Not quite catching what her words had insinuated, he just watched her in confusion.

With conflict in her eyes, she raised her hand to point an accusing finger at him but eventually just dropped it to her side, balling her fists in annoyance. "Look, this girl you talk about, Otae-san, whatever she feels, she'll decide that on her own, okay? You have no say in it, got that?"

He wondered just why exactly she was so concerned about how he handled the circumstances of his love life but decided to just relent to her will. She had a point, after all. "...you're right. I'm sorry," he apologized. "I know what you're saying but..."

"No buts!" She interrupted. "If you wanna know how she feels so bad, why don't you just ask her properly like any other man would?"

He chuckled at that, somehow finding it funny despite not fully remembering why. "Nah, I honestly don't," he answered her. "It doesn't matter."

Her eyes widened at his confession. "You... Didn't you say you loved her?"

He smiled at that. "Did I?" he teased her, raising an eyebrow at her reaction before reassuring her. "I do, okay? But love is unconditional, so it shouldn't matter whether she feels the same way or not."

"B-but..." She tried reasoning but trailed off. She just watched him in confusion but when she finally found her resolve, she opened her mouth to speak again. "That's stupid! You wanna make her happy, right? Then you should at least know what she wants!"

"I-"

"No, I'm not done yet! What if she wants to be with you? Aren't you gonna risk that possibility if you don't confront her about it? And what if she doesn't want you, are just gonna keep making her upset by your presence? Make up your mind, dammit!"

He just stared at her in awe, shocked by her unwarranted outburst but perhaps he wasn't the only one rendered speechless, after all. As if only realizing what she had just done, she flailed her hands around in an attempt to cover up the blush on her face but failed tremendously.

Damn it, wasn't he already into someone else?

He let out a sigh. "Lady," he called for her attention, prompting her to look straight into his eyes. "I don't owe you any explanation but I'll humor you.

"Otae-san, the moment I laid my eyes on her, I knew I was done for, she was it for me. I just knew it. Despite all that, though, I was also aware that she was out of my league. Heck, she was so much younger than me. Make no mistake, I did make attempts, I had to try, I owed her that much. But...

"I knew it would never work out, she made that much clear. I knew that even when I kept my distance, I still made her uncomfortable. I wish I could apologize properly, danger was everywhere and I had to protect her so I couldn't stay away either. I'm not saying she's weak, she's damn strong and I know that firsthand. But she's affiliated with us samurai enough to put a target on her back, and don't get me started with the Yorozuya. Trouble chased them all the time, adding me into that mix doesn't help in the slightest.

"We Shinsengumi cannot afford settling down, you were right earlier, many people would want us dead. Maybe that was why I was so drawn to her in the first place, because I knew I couldn't have her, even if she wanted me, which I'm fairly sure she doesn't. Good for her."

He had no idea how he knew all that stuff despite his drunken state but the words just flowed out so naturally he couldn't stop them from pouring out. He figured that was to be expected, though, he was just speaking the truth, after all. He didn't really need to think too hard.

That aside, before he started blurting out more than he had to, he brought his focus back to the stranger who was hugging herself despite the warm temperature of the room. Her bangs had cast shadows upon her eyes but years of training had made his senses more keen so there was no mistaking it.

She was _crying_.

Seeing the tears on her face broke his heart, and it took all of his effort not to wipe it for her. But someone already owned his heart, and he had already overstayed his welcome. So with what very little self-control he had, he resisted the urge to run right back and instead just walked out before he changed his mind.


	4. Because Pictures Fade

**Title**: Because Pictures Fade Just As Memories Do

**Requested by**: Asperger Hero (Guest)

**Characters**: Shimura Tae, Sakata Gintoki, Kagura (mentioned), Shimura Shinpachi (mentioned)

**Setting**: Post-Silver Soul Arc (Kabuki District)

**Genre**: Angst (with a happy ending)

**Type**: One-shot

**Rating**: K

**Status**: Complete

**Word Count**: 953

**Summary**: Sometimes, she was afraid that without those pictures, she would forget his face.

* * *

It was one of those things she had done so impulsively, really, but she couldn't find it in her to regret a thing.

She took this polaroid picture quite some time ago, in one of Odd Jobs' many missions where she'd chosen to tag along. Back then, their aid was requested by some pin-up model girl who was so full of herself that she always assumed every single man within the vicinity desired her, and truth be told, while Otae hated the model's guts with a passion, a simple jab to the size of former's chest had been enough fuel to provoke her to join in the bodyguard duty.

After surviving through a day and finally receiving their pay, the model was so grateful for their assistance that they ended up being gifted with an instant camera—which was to be expected, for the model, _Haruka_, was just that self-absorbed and narcissistic Otae knew that particular camera was just one of a collection of _very_ many.

But that didn't make her three companions appreciate the gift any less.

As soon as they entered their Odd Jobs office, the three fought for the possession of the Polaroid camera and since, each had their own idea in mind on what to capture, none of them yielded. She, on the other hand, hadn't exactly been a very big fan of the model so she only glared at them and huffed indignantly for being ignored.

_Stop it_, she had told them off then. _Certainly, all three of you can take turns and take pictures. If none of you are going to step back, then I _will _take the first turn!_

She grabbed the camera from their hands (how they all managed to have a hold on it somewhat was beyond her) and stared at it dumbly, uncertain as to what was so special about it. Swallowing back her reluctance to use anything that was touched by the pin-up girl, she grinned at the camera and heard the familiar _click__!_

She could still remember the memory as fresh as yesterday. How the three scooted closer behind her to take a peek at the result, the image that was immediately printed out of the small object she held in her hands. She grinned proudly at the same Polaroid picture that was still, somehow tucked safely on her drawer before her eyes darted off to another Polaroid picture of herself.

Except in this shot, she was not alone.

She took pictures with each of the three, but this particular image now held a much more special place in her heart considering the recent events in Kabuki District, or was it Edo? Maybe, even Earth as a planet.

She reached out to it and in an instant, she was already lost in the memory lane.

Sakata Gintoki, the silver-haired man with a perm, was a man she had always held in high regards, although she hardly ever expressed it honestly.

At first, she thought he was not setting a proper example for her younger brother to take after at all, in no way was the war veteran a good role model to her Shin-chan. He was jobless, perverted, addicted to sweets, and with all honesty, a complete doofus with an unhealthy obsession for anything remotely related to that weather reporter, Ketsuno Ana.

A few volumes, both blu-ray DVD and manga, into his messed up world later, though, and she had finally caught a glimpse of who was really underneath all his indifferent facade, a sight that truly intrigued her.

"As much as you try to pretend not to care," she told the Gin in the picture, frowning at the way his stoic face remained unaffected by it all, "you know you actually have the biggest of hearts. Shin-chan's still waiting for your return, Gin-san. A lot has happened and I'm not sure it's going to be easy to fill you in if more stuff goes on, so please do us all a favor and come back as soon as you can."

She paused to look at the Polaroid picture one last time before setting it back down inside the drawer and closing it with finality, swearing to never open again until the man did as she told, not like he actually heard her plea but at this particular moment, reason eluded her. So she just stood back up and walked to exit the Shimura residence and walked to Snack Smile, where she worked as a cabaret.

It wouldn't be many months later when he decided to finally show up but when he did, she was glad that he looked just the same as he had in that photo, stupid and nonchalant, because if she were being honest with herself, she wasn't sure she could have resisted opening that drawer any longer.

Because if she did, somehow, manage to, slowly but certainly, she might have started to forget his face, his smirk and his gaze and his perm and every single memory etched in her head of all the times they had spent together, and that was the last thing she wanted.

"Welcome back, Gin-san," Otae said out loud, clutching the photo, along with the rest of the Polaroid pictures with Yorozuya, to her chest before walking into their office. "You, too, Kagura-chan." While the young lady missed the words for she was too busy counting dead sadist bodies to _relax as a part of a new skincare routine_, it did not go unnoticed by the famed White Demon who only chuckled in reply.

"Eh, you're really weird, Gorilla woman."

Needless to say, one permed samurai almost got sent to a hospital.

* * *

**A/N: **With all honesty, I don't ship GinTae all that much, since I'm a die-hard KonTae shipper, but a request is a request and who am I to turn down one. I was taken aback by the "Polaroid" theme, though. I did not expect that. Hope you enjoyed the story. I tried, I really did, but I wanted to keep it as close to canon as possible. Sorry for taking too long to upload, I didn't even realize there was a new comment until a couple days ago.


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